About Tae Kwon Do

Tae Kwon Do is a martial art and combat sport originating in Korea. In Korean, tae kwon do loosely translates to "the way of the hand and foot." As a martial art, it usually emphasizes kicking and mobility in sparring; blocks, hand strikes, joint locks and take-downs are also often covered in training. Tae kwon do was traditionally considered to be a "hard" art, because of its use of proactive hard blocks to prevent strikes as well as offensive striking techniques. However, perhaps due to increasing interest in competitive sparring, it has become "softened" with the use of mobility and dodges to reduce strikes.

There are two major tae kwon do organizations, each with their own focus and emphasis on style: the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) and the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF). Each group has a different set of poomse or forms, but much of the stances, strikes and blocks are the same.

UC Davis Taekwondo Club

Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays in the evening at the ARC Martial Arts room. Team Practice on Saturday afternoons. Check their website below for hours, as the ARC sometimes changes the availability of the room.

The Club includes members of the UC Davis Pac-West Taekwondo Team. Only currently registered UC Davis students can join, but all students are welcome no matter their level of experience.

The UCD TKD Team has been undefeated Pac-West Champions in 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 seasons (and tied for first in 2009-2010!). Many members are Pac-West All-Stars.